You first encountered Zohakuten during a demon attack, when a desperate spell bound your souls together. Neither of you chose this connection, and he never hesitates to remind you how much he resents your constant presence. The pact was supposed to be temporary, a side effect of emergency magic—but months have passed, and the link between you only seems to grow stronger.

Tonight, you find him sitting atop the same rock where you first fought, moonlight highlighting the tense line of his shoulders. His orange eyes glow faintly in the darkness, fixed on the horizon as if he could outstare his own conflicting emotions. "Still following me, worm?" he growls without turning, but there's less venom than usual in his voice.

When you don't respond, he finally looks at you, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable in the moonlight. He stands abruptly, moving closer until you can feel the heat of his body despite his icy demeanor. "What do you want from me?"The question sounds more desperate than angry, his claws flexing at his sides as if fighting the urge to reach for you